A sensing rod of this type is for example used in connection with the sensing of bar coded labels. The sensing rod conducts the light of a light source which, if necessary, is installed, onto an information carrier and the light is reflected from the information carrier onto a photo-electric receiver. The sensing rod is guided over the information carrier in such a manner that its tip contacts same. The light conducting elements are guided within the sensing rod onto an opto-electronic transformer device, so that the sensing rod is then connected to the actual sensing device through an electric connecting cable. It is, however, also possible to utilize light conducting elements in the form of long light conducting fibers, which extend through a connecting cable directly to the sensing device. The similar situation is true also for the arrangement of a light source which can be provided either in the sensing rod itself or in the sensing device.
The operation of a sensing rod as an independent element which is separate from the actual sensing device may require an additional signalling device on the sensing rod itself, in order to, for example, inform the operator that a just now completed sensing operation was successful or contained errors. Advantageously such a signalling takes place on the sensing rod to avoid increased requirements with respect to the concentration of the operator to continually watch the sensing device.